Lourette Latif Philips has been elected unopposed as the National Association of Women Pharmacists (NAWP) Network’s new president, the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) announced on Saturday (August 31).

Philips is an independent prescriber (IP) community and prison locum pharmacist who graduated in 2005 and joined the PDA in 2010, working since 2022 as a PDA locum representative, the union said.

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She is NAWP’s fiftieth president since the organisation was first founded in 1905 and her term in office will run until 2026, it added.

Philips succeeds Ayah Abbass, who remains on the NAWP committee as its immediate past president, the PDA said. 

They are joined on the committee by vice president Daniela Rusalim and honorary secretary Wye Bing Chan, both of whom were re-elected, it added.

“A sisterhood”

Philips said that she is honoured by her election to NAWP’s presidency and hopes to continue the “fantastic work” of previous presidents.

She added that NAWP will raise awareness of the issues faced by women pharmacists by “holding events, launching publications and providing a safe space”.

“I hope we can provide continued support and a voice for female pharmacists,” she said.

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Abbass said that she “loved every second” of her “dream” time as NAWP president, paying tribute to the “encouragement of the other committee members”. 

“NAWP is truly a sisterhood network and is much needed in the pharmacy world for women,” she added. 

In 2019, NAWP announced that it would dissolve after 114 years - but in October that year, the PDA announced that it would keep the network going within its organisation.